We are finally nearing the end of our journey into the world of JRR Tolkien and my connection to his family. What I realised on these little journeys into the world of celebrity is not the connection the person themselves or the destination but the journey it has taken me to reach the celebrity. With Tolkien I have journeyed to Nova Scotia, British Colombia and Australia and eventually took a detour to Jesmond which is only two minutes away from me.
The first two parts of this journey were via Tolkien's wife Edith Bratt. The final part of the journey is via Tolkien himself.
The first person we meet is Ann Arno, the wife of Robert Hunt. We met Robert earlier.
Ann Arno was Robert Hunt's second wife and was born and died in Whitby, North Yorkshire. Ann's Aunt Jane Coverdale who was born in Lockton, Pickering, North Yorkshire would marry John Linton in 1799. The Linton family would live in Goathland, North Yorkshire until Francis Linton, who was born in 1802, would move to Pickering, Ontario, Canada. Wikipedia states that 'the township was originally called "Edinburgh" but in 1792 was renamed after Pickering, North Yorkshire.[11] Pickering Village, now part of Ajax, emerged as the major population and commercial centre of the Pickering Township in the early 19th century. The conversion of a local trail into the Kingston Road in 1799 contributed greatly to the increased settlement in the area. In 1807, Quakers led by Timothy Rogers settled in the area, and by 1809, the population of Pickering Township consisted of 180 people, most of whom lived along the Duffins Creek.[8] In 1811, the Pickering Township became a separate municipality.[12] Several sawmills, gristmills, taverns, and other businesses operated in the area. During the War of 1812, the maintenance of the Kingston Road improved because of the increased military traffic and further contributed to the development of the area.[8]
Francis Linton's son Lawrence was born in 1846 in Pickering, Ontario and he would marry Rachel Wilson in 1866. It is Rachel Wilson's mother Jemima Tool who will take us on the next part of our journey.
Jemima Tool - we start off this journey with John Tool who was born in 1792 in Mauncy Township, Pennsylvania; he would go on to marry twice first to Catherine Wurts who he would have 14 children with; and secondly to Mary Elizabeth Schell. John would live a long life dying at the age of 87 from Consumption in 1879. John and Catherine would move to Pickering Township in 1820 where the first of their children were born. In 1840 they would move to Chicago but Catherine found the climate unsuitable so they returned to Pickering, Ontario. Sadly Catherine died in 1845 never recovering from the long trek from Chicago. In 1849 John would marry Mary Elizabeth Schell and move again to Michigan.
We now follow the story of the Schell family as it evolves and we have to go back to the very beginning when Johann Schell arrived in America
Johann Schell was born in 1725 in Baden-Baden, Germany and due to the persecution of the Palatine Germans he emigrated to Philadelphia from Rotterdam in 1749 aboard the ship 'Isaac'. The Schell family were some of the early settlers in Pennsylvania. According to Wikipedia 'Palatines (German: Pfälzer), also known as the Palatine Dutch,[2] are the people and princes of Palatinates (Holy Roman principalities[3][4]) of the Holy Roman Empire.[5] The Palatine diaspora includes the Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Dutch.[6]
In 1709, England found itself hosting thousands of Palatines and other Germans who were fleeing famine, war and religious persecution in their native lands. Many of the first arrivals came from the Rhenish and Bavarian Palatinates, and the refugees became collectively known as the "Poor Palatines". They had been displaced by French invasions and famine during the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. After arriving in London, many were resettled in Ireland and British America.'
Johann's son Marcus was born in 1770 In Schell's Bush, New York State where the family settled. In 1781 there was a major battle between the native people and the Settlers. Marcus was captured by the Iriquois indigenous people where he remained captive for four years before escaping and returning to the family farm where he discovered that his whole family had been massacred. In 1794 Marcus would marry Delila Casler in German Flatts, Herkimer, New York. They had numerous children but the one we are interested in is Frereick Theodore Schell and he was born in 1795. In 1799 the family moved To Markham, Ontario, Canada. Frederick would marry in1827 in Markham. In 1837 there was a revolt against the Canadian government and this was called the MacKenzie Rebellion, Frederick had voted in favour of William Lyon MacKenzie and his ideas and would join and fight as part of the Rebellion. The revolt did not go well and Frederick escaped across the border to America; in 1843 an amnesty was declared which meant that Frederick could return to Canada.
Frederick's daughter Janet Elizabeth Schell was born in 1830 and would marry Henry Robert Howe in 1851 in Scarborough, Ontario. Their daughter Hannah Jane How born in 1852 would take up the next part of our journey.
Janet would marry William Bassingthwaighte in 1870 in Brock Township, Ontario, Canada.
William Bassingthwaighte's great grandmother was Alice Murrell; she was born in 1760 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England. Alice's uncle Stephen Murrell was born in 1724 and would later die in Clerkenwell, London, England. Stephen is described in the UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentice Indenture 1710 - 1811 as a Master Carpenter. In 1732 Stephen would marry Elizabeth Scoons at St Andrew's, Holborn, London, England and his namesake Stephen was born in 1753.
It would be Stephen's daughter Eliza Murrell born in 1787 in London who would introduce us to the Tolkien family. She married George Tolkien in 1805 at St Bartholomew the Great, London. They would go on to have 11 children. George Tolkien was born in 1784 in Islington, London and his father John Benjamin was born in Gdansk, Poland. In the City Directory of London dated 1736 - 1943 John Benhamin's occupation is stated as Watchmaker.
Eliza and George's son, John Benjamin Tolkien was born in 1807 in Clerkenwell and died in 1896 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire. He would marry twice, first to Jane Holmwood and secondly to Mary Jane Stowe. It is Mary Jane Stowe and her children that we are interested in; two children in particular Arthur Reuel Tolkien and Grace Brindley Tolkien. In the Birmingham Church of England Marriages and Banns John Benjamin is described as a Music Seller and Mary Jane a Spinster; it also describes John Benjamin's father George William as a Professor of Music.
First of all let's talk about Grace Brindley Tolkien. She was born in 1833 in Birmingham and died in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, England in 1947. In 1887 she would marry William Charles Mountain in King's Heath, Birmingham. According to the 1911 Census Grace and William lived in Newcastle upon Tyne. George is described as the Managing Director of an Engineering Company. It is also interesting to note that Grace's mother Mary Jane was also living with her. In the National Probate Calendar it states that George left a sum of £36,000 to his widow.
Secondly we have Arthur Reuel Tolkien who was the father of JRR Tolkien. Arthur was born in 1857 and died in 1896 in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa and in 1891 married Mabel Suffield. Arthur's headstone in South Africa stated he was a manager in the Bank of Africa. Their son John Ronal Reuel Tolkien was born in 1892 in Bloemfontein and as they say...the rest is history.
As I said in the initial paragraph...sometimes it is not about the person at the end but the fascinating journey it takes you on. I wonder where my journey will take me next. Hint, hint...the date April 1912 is a very important date.
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